Voltage-regulator system



Patented Oct. 16 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE A. EonnIE, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AsSINoa To WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

VOLTAGE-EEGULAToE SYSTEM.

Application filed November To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that I, CLAR NOE A. 'BonniE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Voltage-Regulator Systems, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to voltage regulators and particularly to re ulator systems for automatically maintaining the voltage of Suppl circuits substantially constant.

One 0 ject of my invention is to provide a voltage-regulator system of the above indicated character that shall govern the voltage of a supply circuit independently of the source of supply and be'substantially free from any hunting action.

In many regulator systems now in service, it is customary to maintain the voltage of a supply circuit substantially constant by controlling the generator or the source of suply whlch is connected to the supply circuit. owever, in many cases, such, for example, as the lighting circuits on a locomotive or on a street car, it is practically impossible to govern the voltage of the light. circuits by controlling the source of supply which is connected to them. Accordingly, some means must be rovided in cases such as are above indicated for governing the supplycircuit voltage independently of the source of Supply.

In a regulator system constructed in ac' cordance with my invention for governing the voltage of a supply circuit,a transformer, which is energized in accordance with the voltage changes on the supply circuit, is connected to the circuit in a manner 40. to maintain the voltage thereof substantially constant. The Secondary winding of the transformer is connected in series with the supply circuit, and the rimary winding thereof is connected in series with a resistor across the supply circuit.

A regulator, which is operated in accordance with the voltage obtaining on the Supply circuit, is provided for short-circuiting said resistor-at varying rates, in order to govern the excitation of the transformer and, accordingly, control the voltage of the supply circuit. The regulator preferably embodies a main-control electromagnet that is energized in accordance with the voltage obtaining on the supply circuit for 9, 1918. Serial No. 261,924.

selectively short-circuiting an auxiliary electromagnet, which is connected through a resistor across the supply circuit. The auxiliary electromagnet is adapted to short-circuit the resistor that is included in series with the primary winding of the transformer and, accordingly, tocontrol the voltage which is impressed by the transformer on the supply circuit. In many cases, it may be desirable to provide a relay energized in parallel with the auxiliary electromagnetfo-r varying the value of a resistor included in the energizing circuit of the main-control electromagnet to increase the speed of operation of the regulator.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a diagrammatic View of a regulator system embodying my invention, and Fig. 2- is a diagrammatic view of a modified regulator system.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a transformer 1, embodying a primary winding 2 and a secondary winding 3, is provided for varying the voltage of a supply circuit comprising conductors 4 and 5. The primary winding 2 is connected in series with a resistor 6 across the supply conductors 4 and 5, and the secondary winding 3 of the transformer is connected in series with the supply circuit 'between the source of supply, not shown, and the load upon the supply conductors, which isillustrated on the drawing as comprising lamps 7.

A regulator 8, which is operated in accordance with the voltage obtaining upon the supply circuit, is provided for selectively short-circuiting the resistor 6 in a manner to control the energization of the transformer 1 and, accordingly, regulate the voltage of the supply circuit. The regulator 8 embodies a main-control electromagnet 9 which is operated in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage for short-circuiting the winding of an auxiliary electromagnet 10.

The main electromagnet 9 embodies an energizing winding 11, which is connected, through a resistor 12, across the Supply conductors 4 and 5, a core armature 13, which is connected to a pivotally mounted contact arm 14, and, a dash-pot 15 for adjusting the speed of operation of the electromagnet. The action of the winding 11 and the core armature 13 upon the contact arm 14 is opposed by a spring 16. A main-contact memher 17, which is mounted on the contact arm, is adapted to engage a co-operating main-contact member 18 to complete a shortcircuit across the winding of the auxiliary electromagnet 10 when the electromagnet is in an energized position.

The auxiliary electromagnet 10 embodies a winding 19, which is connected in series with a resistor 20 across the supply conductors 4 and 5, and a corearmature 21 which is connected to a pivotally mounted contact arm 22. The contact arm 22, which is biased by means of a spring 23, is provided with a contact terminal 24 that engages a contact terminalv 25 for short-circuitmgthe resistor 6 whenever the auxiliary magnet 10 is short-circuited by the contact members 17 and 18.

Assuming the apparatus of the system illustratedin Fig. 1 to be in the Position shown, and the voltage across the supply conductors 4. and 5 to be below normal value,

the energization of the main-control electromagnet 9 is correspondingly diminished to permit the spring 16 to effect engagement of the contact members 17 and 18.

Upon engagement of the contact members 17 and 18, a short-circuit is established across the winding 19 of the auxiliary electromagnet 10. Thereupon, the auxiliary electromagnet, 10 is released to short-circuit the resistor 6 by means of the contact members 24 and 25. An increased current is'permitted to flow through the primary winding 2 of the transformer 1 and, consequently, an increased voltage is impressed on the supply circuit comprising the conductors 4 and 5. When the voltage of the supply circuit increases to normal value, the main-control electromagnet 9 is energized to 9. correspondingly increased degree and it operates to open the short-circuit across the winding 19 of the auxiliary magnet. Thereupon, the auxiliary magnet is energized to open the circuit around the resistor 6. Upon insertion of the resistor 6 in series with the transformer winding 2, the voltage of the supply circuit will :gain be reduced below normal value and effect the cycle of operation above set forth. a The above vibratory action of the regulator continues in a manner to retain the supply-circuit voltage substantially constant.

The system illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing is similar in operation and construction to the system il ustrated in Fig. 1 with the exception that an additional relay 30 is added for increasing the speed of operation of the regulator. The relay 30 embodies a winding 31, which is connected in parallel to the winding 19 across the suppl conductors 4 and 5, and a core armature 3 which is pivotally connected to a contact arm 33. The contact arm 33, which is biased by means of a spring 34, is provided with a contact mcmber 35, which is adapted to engage the stationary contact member 36 when the relay 30 is in a released position. Upon engagement of the contact members 35 and 36, a portion of the resistor 12, which is included in the circuit of the main-control I magnet 10, is shortcircuited so as to increase of the auxiliary magnet 10 but also control the short-circuiting of the relay 30 for increasing the speed of operation of the regulator.

Modifications in the system, and arrangement and location of parts, may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention, and such modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a regulator system for a supply circuit, a transformer having one winding connected in series with the supply circuit and a second winding connected across the supply circuit. an impedance device included'in the circuit of said second winding, electroresponsive means for controlling the effective value of said device, and means governed by the supply-circuit voltage for rendering said electroresponsive means ineffective to control the effective value of said device, to maintain a substantially constant supplycircuit voltage. v

2. In a regulator system a transformer having two windings respectively connected across and in series with said circuit, a resistor connected in series with one of said windings, electroresponsive means for-shortcircuiting said resistor to vary the current passing through the associated winding to maintain the supply-circuit voltage substantially constant, and a second electroresponsive device for controlling the action of said means. I

3; In .a regulator system for an electrical circuit, a transformer having the windliggs thereof connected to said circuit, an im I ance device included in circuit with one of said windings, and a plurality of electroresponsive means for automatically controlling said device and one of said means controlling the other to regulate the voltage of said circuit.

4. In a regulator system for a supply circuit, a transformer having two windings connected to the supply circuit, a resistor connected i ries'with one of said windings, means comprising a vibrato electromagnet connected to the supply circuit for short-circuiting said resistor in a manner to so control the current flow through one winding of the transformer that the supply circuit voltage is maintained substant ally constant, and a second "ibratory electromagnet for short-circuiting the first-mentioned electromagnet.

5. In a regulator system for a supply circuit, a transformer having a primary and a secondary winding, the secondary winding being connected in series with the supply circuit and the primary Winding being connected across the supply circuit, a resistor connected in circuit with said primary winding, and means for automatically short-circuitin r said resistor and for de-energizing said s ort-circuiting means to vary the current passing through the primary winding and to maintain a substantially constant voltage on the supply circuit.

6. In a regulator system for a supply circuit, a transformer having a primary and a secondary winding, the secondary winding being connected in series with the supply circuit and the primary winding being connected across the supply circuit, a resistor connected in series with the primary winding, and means for short circuiting said resistor at a. variable rate to vary the volta e impressed on the primary winding of tiie transformer and maintain the voltage of the supply circuit substantially constant, said means comprising electroresponsive devices so arran ed as to insure arapid vibratory action 0 each.

7. In a regulator system for a supply cirthe supply circuit and a second winding connected across the supply circuit, and. a resistor in series with said second winding, of

a regulator for selectively short-circuiting said resistor comprising a main control magnet operated in accordance with the supplyeircuit voltage, an auxiliary electromagnet governed by said main-control electromagnet and a third electro-magnet co-operating with the main magnet to vary the energization thereof.

8. In a regulator system for a supply circuit, the combination with a transformer having one winding connected in series with the supply circuit and a second winding connected across the supply circuit, and a resistor connected in series with said second winding, of a regulator comprising a maincontrol magnet operated in accordance with the supply-circuitvoltage, an auxiliary electromagnet governed by said main-control electromagnet for short-circuiting said resistor, a second resistor 'in circuit with the winding of said main-control electromagnet' and a relay energized in parallel with the auxiliary magnet for short-circuiting a portion of said second resistor to increase the speed of operation of the regulator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of Oct., 1918.

CLARENCE A. BODDIE. 

